Device for at least one milking stall and a parlour comprising a plurality of milking stalls

ABSTRACT

The invention refers to a device for at least one milking stall ( 3 ) with a milking position ( 4 ) for an animal and with at least one milking equipment including a milking member arranged to be attached to including animal for milking thereof. The milking stall ( 3 ) is defined by at least one wall arrangement ( 5 ) and a floor ( 6 ) and extends between a first end ( 7 ) and a second ( 8 ) end in such a way that when an animal is present in including milking stall ( 3 ) in including milking position, the front portion of including animal is adjacent including first end ( 7 ) and the back portion of including animal is adjacent including second end ( 8 ). The device includes a cabinet-like structure ( 1 ), which has a longitudinal axis extending in a substantially vertical direction and which defines an inner space and which forms a building element of including milking stall ( 3 ). The invention also refers to a parlour ( 2 ) including a plurality of milking stalls ( 3 ) and the cabinet-like structure ( 1 ) forms a building element of including parlour ( 2 ).

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/239,097 filed Sep. 17,2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,203, incorporated by reference herein,which is a National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 ofInternational Application PCT/SE01/00551 filed Mar. 16, 2001, claimingpriority from Swedish Application Serial No. 0000893-8 filed Mar. 17,2000. A copy of the priority document is contained in the parentnational stage application.

The present invention relates to a device for at least one milking stallwith a milking position for an animal and with at least one milkingequipment having a milking member arranged to be attached to the animalfor milking thereof, wherein the milking stall is defined by at leastone wall arrangement and a floor, and extends between a first end and asecond end in such a way that when an animal is present in the milkingstall in the milking position, the front portion of the animal isadjacent the first end and the back portion of the animal is adjacentthe second end, and wherein the device includes a cabinet-like structurewhich has a longitudinal axis extending in a substantially verticaldirection and which defines an inner space. The invention also refers toa parlour comprising a plurality of milking stalls each of which isprovided with a milking position for an animal and with at least onemilking equipment including a milking member arranged to be attached tothe animal being present in the milking stall in question for milking ofthe animal. Each of the milking stalls are defined by at least one wallarrangement and a floor, and extends between a first end and a secondend in such a way that when an animal is present in one of the milkingstalls in the milking position, the front portion of the animal isadjacent the first end and the back portion of the animal is adjacentthe second end, and wherein each milking stall includes a cabinet-likestructure which has a longitudinal axis extending in a substantiallyvertical direction and which defines an inner space.

In a conventional milking stall, there is a milking equipment with a lotof different components. These components comprise usually a milkingmember in the form of a number of teatcups which may be connected to acommon claw, a long milk conduit connecting the claw to amilk-collecting member and to a vacuum source for transferring a milkingvacuum to the teats, a holding member, or a so called service arm, forholding and supporting the long milk conduit, a pulsator arranged toprovide a pulsating vacuum for a pulsating chamber in each teatcup, aremover for removing the milking member from the teats after the milkingis finished, a control unit for controlling the vacuum level of themilking equipment and an operating panel for supervising and controllingthe milking procedure and the milking equipment. It is thereby known toprovide these different components at different locations in the milkingstall. Moreover, it is important to maintain good hygiene in the milkingstall, especially it is important that the milking member is cleanedbetween each milking operation. Hereby, the milking stall may comprise acleaning device for cleaning the milking member.

It is also known to provide at least some of the above-mentionedcomponents in a cabinet in order to protect them and have them easilyaccessible at one single location. Such a cabinet is usually mounted inthe milking stall so that it is easy to reach for the milker. Thecabinet may be attached to a structural element of the milking stall,such as a bar or the like.

Today dairy farms have increased in size and use of high technology,wherein the demands for more efficient milking parlours have increased.Today milking parlours exist in different configurations and may havedifferent capacity, i.e. may comprise different number of milkingstalls. Each milking stall has a milking position for an animal.Moreover, the milking stalls of the milking parlours are usually narrowon the one hand in order to limit the movements of an animal during amilking operation and on the other hand in order to achieve as manymilking stalls as possible in relation to the area available. Thisresults in that the space available for different components of themilking equipment is limited. Moreover, the access to differentcomponents, such as for example the components of the milking equipment,is important to the milker. The access to different components is alsoimportant in the case of service, maintenance and/or repair.

Moreover, to the producers of parlours, in order to be competitive inthe market, it is important that the production costs of a parlourand/or an individual stall are kept at a low level, wherein it is anadvantage to provide a parlour which has as few building elements aspossible and that the building elements and parts of the buildingelements are easy to replace in case of service and/or repair or if somebuilding elements or parts of the building elements are destroyed.Moreover, each building element of the milking stall has to be robustand withstand forces from an animal being present in a milking stall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide an improved cabinet-likestructure, which also forms part of the milking stall or a milkingparlour. Hereby, the cabinet-like structure has to be robust andwithstand forces from an animal being present in the milking stall. Itis also desirable that most of the elements of the cabinet-likestructure are of a modular construction so that they may be easilyreplaced if required and the production costs may be kept low.

This object is achieved by the device initially defined andcharacterised in that the cabinet-like structure forms a buildingelement of said milking stall. Consequently, the cabinet-like structuredefines an inner space where different components, such as components ofthe milking equipment, may be housed at the same time as it forms abuilding element of said milking stall, i.e. forms a part of saidmilking stall.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the building elementcarries said wall arrangement and is mounted to said floor.Consequently, the cabinet-like structure forms a supporting structuralelement for said wall arrangement and since the cabinet-like structureextends from the floor a lot of equipment may be housed in the innerspace. In case of a rotary parlour comprising a plurality of milkingstalls, said floors of the milking stalls form a platform which mayrotate during a milking operation of the animals in relation to thefloor onto which the milker is standing who for example may superviseand control the milking procedure.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure comprises wall members of a material with thin wall thicknessand the wall members extend in said substantially vertical direction andare attached to each other and form a hollow tube-like structure whichsurrounds said inner space. The wall members surrounding said innerspace protect the different components, which are housed inside thecabinet-like structure. Moreover, since the wall members surround theinner space a cabinet-like structure is achieved which is easy to keepclean from the outside. The tube-like structure may have differentshapes, in a cross sectional view seen along said longitudinal axis.However, the tube-like member is shaped so that it may resist forcesfrom an animal being present in the milking stall.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure comprises a top portion and a bottom portion and said bottomportion is attached to said floor. Consequently, the bottom portion maybe directly attached to the floor of the milking stall.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure comprises a substantially horizontal top plate which connectsthe wall members at the top portion, and a substantially horizontalbottom plate which connects the wall members at the bottom portion,wherein the cabinet-like structure forms an elongated hollow box-likestructure which extends in said substantially vertical direction andwhich encloses said inner space. Owing to the top plate and the bottomplate a structure with good torsional rigidity is achieved. Moreover,since said top plate and said bottom plate together with said wallmembers enclose said inner space, the inner space is protected from dirtand dust from the outside environment. The bottom plate may be a part ofsaid floor of the milking stall but the bottom plate may also be formedof a separate thin metal sheet, wherein the cabinet-like structure isattached to said floor via said thin metal sheet by screws or the like.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the respective wallmember is formed of a thin metal sheet, preferably corrosion-resistingsteel, with a thickness about 2–4 mm. Also the top plate may be formedof a thin metal sheet, preferably corrosion-resisting steel, as well asthe bottom plate, with a thickness about 2–4 mm.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure is provided at said second end. Consequently, the rear portionof the animal is close to the cabinet-like structure, since the rearportion of the animal being present in the milking stall is adjacentsaid second end of the milking stall. Hereby, it may happen that theanimal pushes herself against the cabinet-like structure, wherein it isimportant that the cabinet-like structure may withstand substantiallyradial forces from the animal but also other forces of course.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the device comprisesmeans arranged to strengthen the cabinet-like structure in order towithstand substantially radial forces. Said means may comprise a supportstructural element, which is attached to at least one of said wallmembers, which surround the inner space of the cabinet-like structure.Moreover, said support structural element may be provided in a planeperpendicular to said substantially vertical direction. Preferably, saidstructural element may be provided at the level of the upper rearportion of the animal.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure is arranged to house a driving arrangement provided to removethe milking member from the animal after the milking is finished andsaid driving arrangement is attached to a support member which comprisesmeans arranged to permit detachment of said support member in said innerspace. If the driving arrangement is attached directly to the wallsdefining said inner space by means of some attachment members, such asscrews or the like it may be very difficult to perform service since theinner space is narrow and offers a limited working space. Said means,which makes it possible to detach said support member, onto which thedriving arrangement such as a pneumatic power cylinder is attached,facilitates service work and repair. The support member may be detachedand may be provided outside the cabinet-like structure during service.An advantage with this arrangement is that service work and repair maybe performed in a shorter time compared to if the driving arrangementwere attached directly to the walls defining said inner space by meansof some attachment members. Preferably said means arranged to permitdetachment of said support member in said inner space may co-operatewith for example an element provided on the outside of the cabinet-likestructure by engaging such element. It is to be noted that thecabinet-like structure may house different components, such as saiddriving arrangement provided to remove the milking member but also othercomponents such as components of the milking equipment for example apulsator, a control unit comprising a computer arranged to supervise andcontrol the milking procedure and a milking meter.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure comprises an operating panel by which the milking equipment iscontrollable and the cabinet-like structure comprises a first doorportion, which is detachably connected to the cabinet-like structure ,wherein the operating panel is arranged on said first door portion. Bythe operating panel it is possible to supervise and control the milkingprocedure and the milking equipment. Consequently, connections extendfrom the operating panel to different components of the milkingequipment. The operating panel may be of different types and function asa user interface, for example an interface for the milker. The operatingpanel may be of a simple type and only comprise a switch for the vacuumbut it may also comprise a display etc. In case of service or repair ofthe operating panel it is possible to detach the first door portion andreplace it by another one. The first door portion is preferably of amodular construction.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the first doorportion, when connected to the cabinet-like structure, is movablebetween a first position in which the cabinet-like structure forms aclosed structure at least in said substantially vertical direction and asecond position in which the inner space of the cabinet-like structureis possible to reach for a person in a working position from the outsideof the cabinet-like structure. Hereby, for example the drivingarrangement, which may be housed inside the cabinet-like structure, isaccessible when said first door portion is in said second position.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cabinet-likestructure comprises a second door portion which is movable between afirst position in which the cabinet-like structure forms a closedstructure at least in said substantially vertical direction and a secondposition, wherein the door portion carries a cleaning device forcleaning the milking member which is possible to use in said secondposition. Such a cleaning device has means for receiving the teatcups ofthe milking member after the milking is finished and is connected to aconduit for the supply of cleaning liquid to the teatcups and the claw.By housing the cleaning device inside the cabinet-like structure when itis not in use, it is protected from dirt and dust from the outsideenvironment. This is an advantage since good hygiene is very importantwhen running a dairy farm. By housing the cleaning device inside thecabinet-like structure it is also protected from violence from theanimals.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, one of said wallmembers comprises a continuous thin sheet which is shaped in such a waythat it surrounds a great part of said inner space. Consequently, saidwall member may be produced by essentially one single piece of a sheet.According to one embodiment, the sheet is shaped in such a way that itforms, in a cross-sectional view seen along said longitudinal axis, arear wall portion and two side wall portions. The sheet, whichpreferably is a metal sheet, may be bent in order to form said rear wallportion and said side wall portions. The rear wall portion may be shortin relation to the side wall portions. Moreover, each side wall portionmay extend from the rear wall portion so that they form an angle, whichis larger than 90°, with the rear wall portion. Moreover, each side wallportion may be bent in said vertical direction at a distance from theouter end of each side wall portion in such a way that a plane, whichextends along the surface of each of said outer side wall portion isperpendicular to a plane which is parallel to the surface of the rearwall portion. The length of each outer side wall portion, in across-sectional view seen along said longitudinal axis, may be shorterthan the length of each side wall which extends directly from the rearwall portion, seen in said cross section. Since it may happen that ananimal being present in the milking stall may push herself towards saidouter side wall portion, it is an advantage that this outer side wallportion is short in order to withstand substantially radial forces fromthe animal. Moreover, it may happen that an animal being present in themilking stall may kick about. Hereby, it is an advantage that each sidewall portion extends from the rear wall portion so that they form anangle, which is larger than 90°, with the rear wall portion, since theleg of the animal may run along the surface of the side wall portion.According to one embodiment said support structural element arranged tostrengthen the cabinet-like structure is attached to the outer end ofsaid outer side wall portions.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, said wallarrangement forms a side wall of said milking stall and extends betweensaid first end and said second end.

The object is also achieved by the parlour initially defined, whereineach of said milking stalls are defined by at least one wall arrangementand a floor, wherein each milking stall comprises a cabinet-likestructure which forms a building element of said parlour.

According to one embodiment of said parlour, said wall arrangementadjoins two milking stalls and the building element carries said wallarrangement and is mounted to the floor of said milking stalls.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, said parlour is arotary parlour.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is now to be explained more closely by means ofdifferent embodiments, given as examples, and with reference to theappendant drawings.

FIG. 1 shows schematically a perspective view of a device according tothe present invention,

FIG. 2 shows schematically a perspective vew of a part of a milkingparlour comprising a plurality of milking stalls, wherein the device inFIG. 1 is a part of the milking parlour,

FIG. 3 shows schematically the milking parlour in FIG. 2 from anotherperspective view,

FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b show schematically perspective views of an innerspace of the device in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows schematically a driving member attached to a supportmember, which engages a suspension arrangement, which is intended to beattached to the inner space of the device, and

FIG. 6 shows schematically a perspective view of the device with thesupport member, onto which the driving arrangement is attached and whichis provided on the outside of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device in FIG. 1 comprises a cabinet-like structure 1 which has alongitudinal axis x extending in a substantially vertical direction andwhich forms a building element of a milking parlour 2, which is shown inFIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

FIG. 2 shows a part of a rotary milking parlour 2 comprising a pluralityof milking stalls 3 each of which is provided with a milking positions 4for an animal 38. Each milking stall 2 is defined by at least one wallarrangement 5 and a floor 6, and extends between a first end 7 and asecond end 8. The wall arrangement 5 forms a side wall of two milkingstalls 3 and extends between the first end 7 and the second end 8.Consequently, the wall arrangement 5 adjoins and separates two milkingstalls 3 and the cabinet-like structure 1 carries the wall arrangement 5at the second end 8 and is attached to the floor 6 of each milking stall3 in question.

The cabinet-like structure I defines an inner space 9, shown in FIG. 4 aand FIG. 4 b, in which components of the milking equipment 39 may behoused. Such as is shown in FIG. 3 the cabinet-like structure 1comprises wall members 10, 11, 12, 13 which extend in the substantiallyvertical direction and are connected to each other and form a hollowtube-like structure which surrounds the inner space 9. The wall members10, 1 1, 12, 13 are preferably formed of a material with thin wallthickness.

Such as is shown in FIG. 1 the cabinet-like structure 1 comprises anoperating panel 14 which is provided on a first door portion 15 of thecabinet-like structure 1. By operating panel 14 it is possible tosupervise and control the milking procedure and the milking equipment39. Consequently, connections extend from the operating panel 14 todifferent components of the milking equipment 39. The first door portion15 is detachably connected to the cabinet-like structure 1. The firstdoor portion 15 may be pivotably attached to the wall member 10 and maybe movable between a first position, shown in FIG. 1, in which thecabinet-like structure 1 forms a closed structure and a second position(not shown) in which the inner space 9 of the cabinet-like structure 1is possible to reach for a person in a working position from the outsideof the cabinet-like structure 1. The cabinet-like structure 1 alsocomprises a second door portion 16 which is movable between a firstposition, shown in FIG. 1, in which the cabinet-like structure 1 forms aclosed structure and a second position, wherein the second door portion16 carries a cleaning device for cleaning the milking member 40 which ispossible to use in said second position. The second door portion 16 maybe pivotably attached to the wall portion 13.

It is to be noted that the person in a working position is standing onthe floor 17, cf. FIG. 3, which is separate from the floors 6 of themilking stalls 3. The floors 6 of the milking stalls 3 form a platform,which may rotate during the milking operation of the animals in relationto the floor 17.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 the cabinet-like structure 1 comprises asubstantially horizontal top plate 18 provided at a top portion 19 ofthe cabinet-like structure 1 and a bottom plate 20 provided at a bottomportion 21 of the cabinet-like structure 1. The top plate 18 connectsthe wall members 10, 11, at the top portion 19 and the bottom plate 20connects the wall members 10, 13 at the bottom portion 21. Both the topplate 18 and the bottom plate 20 may be formed of a thin metal sheet andthe cabinet-like structure 1 may be attached to the floor 6 of eachmilking stalls 3 in question via the thin bottom plate 20 by means ofscrews 22. It is to be noted that the separate bottom plate 20 may beexcluded, wherein the bottom of the cabinet-like structure may be a partof the floor 6 of each milking stalls 3 in question. It is also to benoted that the wall arrangement 5 is not shown in FIG. 3.

When an animal is present in the milking stall 3, the rear portion ofthe animal is adjacent the second end 8 and the front portion of theanimal is adjacent the first end 7. Since the milking stalls 3 arenarrow it may happen that the animal pushes herself against thecabinet-like structure 1.

As can be seen in FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b, one of the wall memberscomprises a continuous thin sheet 10 which is shaped in such a way thatit surrounds a great part of the inner space 9. Consequently, the wallmember 10 is produced by essentially one single piece of a sheet. It isto be noted that the wall member 11 is not shown in FIG. 4 a and 4 b noris the first door portion 15 or the second door portion 16. The sheet10, which preferably is a metal sheet, may be bent in order to form arear wall portion 23 and two side wall portions 24. The rear wallportion 23 is short in relation to the side wall portions 24. Moreover,each side wall portion 24 extends from the rear wall portion 23 so thatthey form an angle, which is larger than 90°, with the rear wall portion23. Moreover, each side wall portion 24 is bent in the verticaldirection at a distance from the outer end 25 of each side wall portion24, wherein each side wall portion comprises an outer side wall portion26. A plane, which extends along the surface of each of the outer sidewall portions 26, is perpendicular to a plane which is parallel to thesurface of the rear wall portion 23. The length of each outer side wallportion 26, in a cross-sectional view seen along the longitudinal axisx, is shorter than the length of each side wall portion 23, seen in saidcross section. Hereby, an animal being present in the milking stall maybe permitted to push herself towards the outer side wall portion 26 ofthe cabinet like structure 1. Consequently, it is an advantage that thisouter side wall portion 26 is short in order to withstand substantiallyradial forces from the animal.

In order to better withstand such substantially radial forces from ananimal the cabinet-like structure 1 may comprise a support structuralelement 27, which is provided in a plane perpendicular to thesubstantially vertical direction and which is attached to the wallmember 10. Preferably, the support structural element 27 may be providedat a level of the upper rear portion of the animal. The cabinet-likestructure may comprise further support structural elements 28, 29.

FIG. 5 shows a driving arrangement 30 attached to a support member 31,which engages a suspension arrangement 32, which is intended to beattached to the inner space 9 of the cabinet-like structure 1. Thesuspension arrangement 32 may be arranged to the rear wall portion 23 ofthe inner space 9 of the cabinet-like structure 1. The drivingarrangement 30 comprises a pneumatic power cylinder which through anelongated element 37, such as a cord, is connected to the milking member40 and is provided to remove the milking member from the animal afterthe milking is finished. By the driving arrangement it is possible toachieve vacuum or compressed air. The driving arrangement 30 is attachedto the support member 31, which may be in the form of a rail whichcomprises first means 33, which are arranged to co-operate with secondmeans 34 of the suspension arrangement 32 in such a way that the supportmember 31 with the driving arrangement 30 may be detached from thesuspension arrangement 32 which is intended to be provided on the rearwall portion 23 of the inner space 9 of the cabinet-like structure 1.Consequently, the first means are arranged for quick-joint attachment tothe second means.

The first means 33 of the support member 31 may comprise openings andthe second means 34 of the suspension arrangement 32 may comprise hooks.Moreover, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the support member 31 may compriserecesses 35, which may be arranged to engage the support structuralelement 27, which is attached to the wall member 10, as can be seen inFIG. 6. Hereby, when the first door portion 15 is in its secondposition, it is possible to detach the support member 31 with thedriving arrangement 30 from the hooks 34 and to provide the supportmember 31 with the driving arrangement 30 outside the cabinet-likestructure 1 by means of the recesses 35 engaging the support structuralelement 27. Hereby, service work is facilitated. It is to be noted thatthe cabinet-like structure 1 may comprise hooks or the like (not shown)provided outside said cabinet-like structure 1 in such a manner that thefirst means in the form of openings may egage the hooks provided outsidethe cabinet-like structure 1, wherein a person in a working positionstanding on the floor 17 may reach the driving arrangement 30 when thefirst means are engaging the hooks provided outside the cabinet-likestructure 1. Moreover, it is to be noted that said first means maycomprise recesses similar to the recesses 35 and the second means maycomprise a rail or the like which is provided inside said cabinet-likestructure 1 in such a way that the said recesses may detachably engagesaid rail. If the first means comprises recesses, the first means maydetachably engage the support structural element 27. It is to be notedthat third means in the following claims may comprise said supportstructural element 27. Further, it is to be noted that wall member 11 isnot shown in FIG. 6 nor is the first door portion 15 or the second doorportion 16.

It is to be noted that other components of the milking equipment may beattached to the support member 31 in FIG. 5. For example the componentmay be a computer 41 arranged to control and supervise the milkingprocedure, for example the vacuum level of the milking equipment, apulsator 42 which is arranged to provide a pulsating vacuum for apulsating chamber of each of the teatcups 43 of the milking member 40, amilking meter 44 etc. It is also to be noted that the support member 31in some cases may be excluded, wherein the component may be associatedwith the first means in some other way. Moreover, the componentassociated with said first means 33 may comprise at least onequick-joint connector 45 for operably connecting the component inquestion to at least one further component of the milking stall 3.

If the component is the driving arrangement 30 such as is shown in FIG.5, the driving arrangement may comprise at least one quick jointconnector 46 for the elongatedmember 37 which is connected to themilking member 40. By the quick-joint connector 46 it is possible toquickly detach the elongated member 37. This is an advantage when thedriving arrangement 30 is to be replaced. By quickly detaching theelongated member from the driving arrangement 30, the drivingarrangement 30 together with the support member 31 may be replaced by anew driving arrangement attached to another, similar support member. Thenew driving arrangement may also comprise at least one quick-jointconnector for operably connecting the new driving arrangement with theelongated member. It is to be noted that the driving arrangement 30 maycomprise several quick-joint connectors, preferably one quick-jointconnector for each component to which the driving arrangement 30 isconnected.

The present invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown abovebut may be varied and modified within the scope of the following claims.

1. A device for at least one milking stall with a milking position foran animal and with at least one milking equipment, the milking equipmentcomprising a milking member arranged to be attached to the animal formilking thereof, wherein the milking stall is defined by at least onewall arrangement and a floor, and extends between a first end and asecond end in such a way that when an animal is present in the milkingstall in the milking position, the front portion of the animal isadjacent the first end and the back portion of the animal is adjacentthe second end, wherein the device comprises a cabinet-like structurewhich has a longitudinal axis extending in a substantially verticaldirection and which defines an inner space , wherein the cabinet-likestructure forms a building element of the milking stall, wherein saidcabinet-like structure is mounted to the floor, and wherein thecabinet-like structure is provided at said second end.
 2. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the building element carries the wallarrangement.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet-likestructure comprises wall members of a material with thin wall thicknessand that the wall members extend in said substantially verticaldirection and are attached to each other and form a hollow tube-likestructure which surrounds said inner space.
 4. A device according toclaim 3, wherein the cabinet-like structure comprises a top portion, abottom portion which is attached to the floor, a substantiallyhorizontal top plate which connects at least some of the wall members atthe top portion, and a substantially horizontal bottom plate whichconnects at least some of the wall members at the bottom portion,wherein the cabinet-like structure forms an elongated hollow box-likestructure which extends in said substantially vertical direction andwhich encloses said inner space.
 5. A device according to claim 4,wherein the bottom plate is a part of the floor.
 6. A device accordingto claim 4, wherein the bottom plate is formed of a thin metal sheet andthat the cabinet-like structure is attached to the floor via said thinmetal sheet.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the thickness ofthe metal sheet is about 2–4 mm.
 8. A device according to claim 4,wherein the top plate is formed of a thin metal sheet.
 9. A deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein at least one of the wall members is formedof a thin metal sheet.
 10. A device according to claim 3, wherein thedevice comprises means arranged to strengthen the cabinet-like structurein order to withstand radial forces and wherein said means comprises asupport structural element which is attached to at least one of saidwall members.
 11. A device according to claim 10, wherein saidstructural support element is provided in a plane perpendicular to saidsubstantially vertical direction.
 12. A device according to claim 10wherein one of said wall members comprises a continuous thin sheet whichis shaped in such a way that it surrounds a great part of said innerspace and forms, in a cross-sectional view seen along said longitudinalaxis, a rear wall portion and two side wall portions, and wherein saidsupport structural element is attached to said side wall portions.
 13. Adevice according to claim 3, wherein one of said wall members comprisesa continuous thin sheet which is shaped in such a way that it surroundsa great part of said inner space.
 14. A device according to claim 13,wherein said continuous thin sheet forms at least, in a cross-sectionalview seen along said longitudinal axis, a rear wall portion and two sidewall portions.
 15. A device according to claim 1, wherein thecabinet-like structure comprises a top portion and a bottom portion andthat said bottom portion is attached to the floor.
 16. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the device comprises means arranged tostrengthen the cabinet-like structure in order to withstand radialforces.
 17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet-likestructure is arranged to house a driving arrangement provided to removethe milking member from the animal after the milking is finished andthat said driving arrangement is attached to a support member whichcomprises first means arranged to permit detachment of said supportmember in said inner space.
 18. A device according to claim 1, whereinthe device comprises an operating panel by which the milking equipmentis controllable and that the device comprises a first door portion whichis detachably connected to the cabinet-like structure, wherein theoperating panel is arranged on said first door portion.
 19. A deviceaccording to claim 18, wherein the first door portion, when connected tothe cabinet-like structure, is movable between a first position, inwhich the cabinet-like structure forms a closed structure at least insaid substantially vertical direction, and a second position, in whichthe inner space of the cabinet-like structure is possible to reach for aperson in a working position from outside of the cabinet-like structure.20. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a doorportion which is connected to the cabinet-like structure and is movablebetween a first position, in which the cabinet-like structure forms aclosed structure at least in said substantially vertical direction, anda second position, wherein the door portion carries a cleaning devicefor cleaning the milking member which is possible to use when the doorportion is in said second position.
 21. A device according to claim 1,wherein said wall arrangement forms a side wall of a milking stall andextends between said first end and said second end.
 22. A deviceaccording to claim 1, including an arrangement which comprises firstmeans for quick-joint attachment to at least second means arrangedinside said inner space in such a maimer that the first means detachablyengage said second means, wherein at least one component is associatedwith said first means.
 23. A parlour comprising a plurality of milkingstalls, each of which is provided with a milking position for an animaland with at least one milking equipment comprising a milking memberarranged to be attached to the animal being present in the milking stallin question for milking thereof, wherein each of said milking stalls aredefined by at least one wall arrangement and a floor and extends betweena first end and a second end in such a way that when an animal ispresent in one of said milking stalls in said milking position, thefront portion of said animal is adjacent said first end and the backportion of said animal is adjacent said second end, wherein each milkingstall comprises a cabinet-like structure, which has a longitudinal axisextending in a substantially vertical direction and which defines aninner space, and wherein the cabinet-like structure forms a buildingelement of said parlour and is provided at said second end, and whereinsaid building element carries the wall arrangement and is mounted to thefloor.
 24. A parlour according to claim 23, wherein said wallarrangement adjoins two milking stalls.
 25. A parlour according to claim23, wherein said parlour is a rotary parlour.